Fear the Walking Dead : A prepper discussion
I don't know about other people, but when I watch movies and TV Shows about some sort of Apocalyptic Event that has created TEOTWAWKI, I not only watch for the entertainment value, but also as a mental discussion of whether or not the choices made by the characters in the show are ones that I would make in the same scenario.
SPOILERS BELOW! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!
Now, first off, ever since Doomsday Preppers, preppers have been popping up in film for the large and small screen, more often. Heck, the movie Trolls had a prepper in it called Branch. Most times, the prepper is portrayed as some sort of crazy person only out to protect themselves. And, for the most part, they never get past that stereotype during the film. In Trolls, Branch eventually gets out of this prepper slump and becomes colorful, like the rest of the trolls. If you went to the store to find a Branch prepper troll, you won't find one. You will only find the colorful Branch, even though he spent 90% of the movie in gray and black. I think Branch, the prepper troll, should be more celebrated than the colored Branch, because he was right the entire time throughout the movie, even if no one heeded his warnings.
Now, back to the small screen. The hottest show on TV is The Walking Dead. Zombie Apocalypse are usually big when there is a political backlash against government control. But, that's for another article. The Walking Dead, barely touched on preppers, just a couple instances that I can remember. One was found dead in a tree and the other one left his boat for others to attempt to get to. Nothing really to talk about with that. However, The Walking Dead spun off Fear The Dead.
Fear The Dead starts off pre-Apocalypse and basically shows what would happen in a Martial Law situation and how most people would not be prepared for a shut down of electricity and food transportation, let alone a zombie out break. The show follows Madison and her family as she does her best to destroy more worlds than Rick did in The Walking Dead.
![Madison_and_Tobias_in_corridor.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmNmMjjdcc5xtsyvsFdpFZfZpxrRC3dWLY1n7sbusDWZjg/Madison_and_Tobias_in_corridor.png)
The Late Prepper
As the events start to unfold, we are introduced to a kid named Tobias. Tobias has been listening to HAM radio and knows that the SHTF. He, unfortunately, doesn't have any adult help to get him through TEOTWAWKI. He determines that his best bet is to hide out in the school where Madison works. The school has plenty of canned food and other supplies. It is large enough to hide in, without worrying about attracting attention. And, until Madison shows up, it was working for Tobias. Hopefully Tobias survived past the horrors of the break down of the city and the military firebombing everything, but it we don't know. Rumors are that he is still alive.
Now, the good thing about Tobias is, he knew his limitations and he knew where resources were. This would be important in TEOTWAWKI. But, he ran in to Madison and she's about as helpful as a bear trap on your leg. Every prepper, whether in the city or country, should be aware of their surroundings and where supplies can be had.
![strandnick.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmSRqGZ8Ni1wYn6cKmhszKVJoTVmdpfbY5WrH3QyWzZ6Sk/strandnick.jpg)
Rich Prepper
In the first season, we meet Strand. Strand is an enigma as we don't know if he is good or bad. However, he knows how to manipulate people. After the fall of the city, Nick (druggy son of Madison the Destroyer) manages to hook up with Strand, because somehow he believes a junkie will be great at surviving. Well, amazingly, he is right. Now, Strand isn't a prepper in the real sense. He is a grifter/con man who is always moving from destination to destination, making connections. What makes him a bit of a prepper is that he keeps his house fully stocked with food and supplies and he also has a yacht. A very large yacht. The yacht is also stocked. But, for the most part, Strand is only prepared for his next port of call, which could be a few weeks out.
But, he does posses one key thing that all preppers need; knowledge. In Strand's case, he has the knowledge to manipulate people and connections everywhere that he can use to try and find a safe place. Even if you didn't manage to get all of your supplies or your plan A and plan B failed, with the right knowledge, you can move onto a new plan of survival in TEOTWAWKI.
![fear-the-walking-dead-202-wave-goodbye.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://steemitimages.com/DQmbFt5Ky9e8Di6vt8Szz3DDLCr95hNxHXjr9EeKWerSPuh/fear-the-walking-dead-202-wave-goodbye.jpg)
Island Prepper Family
In the second season, we came upon the first prepper mentioned. A park ranger on an island with his family. He has a small garden and other supplies that look like he could last about 3 weeks before going to the mainland. They try to pretend that they never go to the main land, but it is obvious to the discerning eye that this is not the case. Anyway, things are going well for this family, until Madison and her brood show up and try to convince the wife that she's unhappy and she should leave. Madison and crew leave the island with the prepper family now down to the surviving boys. Yeah...the wife is not a "prisoner" anymore, she's dead, with her daughter and her husband. Thanks Madison and your druggy son!
Anyway, these people can be classified as a mini-homestead preppers. They had a great start, but their resources would be extremely limited on the island. The main land was close, but that also means it was close enough for others to see them. They only had a small rifle and one pistol as defense (granted, it is California). Their gardens were way too small for a family of 5, but they had plenty of room to grow. However, I am not sure how well their gardens could do being on an island in the ocean.
![sddefault.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmZBQapNv5q587rWLFqfgchn46LSohsJNKXa3gcP2akKBa/sddefault.jpg)
Ranch TEOTWAWKI
In season 3 we finally meet a full blown prepper! And of course, he's a snake oil salesman, an abusive drunk and a downright horrible person. Jeremiah Otto saw the collapse back in the mid-1990s. He's had the vision, prior to Y2K to start a prepper information video series, that came with your own starter kit bucket. This guy was a visionary! So, of course, he's gonna be your basic bad guy underneath who treats anyone who isn't of the same inclination as second class citizen, third class if he didn't like your skin color. He also managed to be married a couple of times, one of which was also a drunk and they sired a sociopath for a son.
Anyway, Jeremiah managed to find three like minded men and they built the Broke Jaw Ranch as a prepper compound. A prepper compound that any prepper would have tons of issues with.
- For starters, from day one, they had an animus relationship with their neighbors, which happens to be an Native American reservation he bought the land from. Do not buy land if the neighbors are going to give you trouble.
- The land is in a valley. The hills above make it easy for the ranch to be surround on all sides. Might as well just put yourself in a fish barrel.
- The land has water issues. We don't find this out until the last episode, but it is an obvious problem.
- There are a limited number of dwellings for permanent preppers and almost all of the preppers who show up are living in tents and motorhomes
- There is a gate at the main road. There is no fence that surrounds the property and security is easily breached. They are just lucky a zombie horde didn't just walk over the mountain.
On top of the issues with the plan for the ranch and the people who show up during TEOTWAWKI, there are other issues. Jeremiah does have a community bunker with a ton of supplies. However, it seems that everyone can come and go. It takes events to happen before the guns are locked up. Heck, Jeremiah even walks in Madison on the first day she's at the ranch. This doesn't sound like a man who planned things out. This comes to bite them in the butt later as well. Also, the majority of the preppers who show up, apparently don't even have their own weapons or plan on helping out with protecting the ranch. This is left to a small group of men led by the sociopath son. Brilliant!
I could go on, but it is evident that Hollywood can only write preppers as people to be mocked or scorned.
What are your thoughts?
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You hit the nail on the head! It is very frustrating that the television and movie industries continue to portray preppers as these paranoid, crazy, delusional freaks who only care about themselves.
I do the same as far as going through the choices the characters make and determine if I would make the same choices or choose differently and try to think out what those consequences might be.
Great post! You really put a lot of thought into it! Love it!
Thanks.
I didn't mention 10 Cloverfield Lane as another example of bad prepper prepping movie. Maybe if there was interest, I would start doing my reviews of prepper movies.
All great points. And totally agree about Branch. I was just talking to my wife about him yesterday and how he is my favorite troll. My kids love that movie! "You all thought I was crazy; Well whos crazy now? Me...Crazy prepared!" Lol. I've seen it a few times! But anyways, yes sir; I totally find myself thinking how I would have done things different from the folks in the Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead! I voice them out loud alot and my wife gets mad at me about it. Haha. But hey sometimes you just have to say how wrong some of the decisions they make really are. Great post though man! If only Hollywood knew the real preppers of the world! : )
Hollywood wouldn't know a real prepper if one saved them from a disaster.
I tell you, the search for Branch in gray and black continues. He's like that on all the advertisement, but not as an actual figurine. It's just crazy.
Yea. It's all good they'll be less mouths to feed that way. Lol. And I will search for branch as well. If I find something I'll drop you a line! : )
Got Him!!!!!!!
https://www.amazon.com/DreamWorks-Trolls-Branch-Collectible-Printed/dp/B01MQVWEKE/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1499783829&sr=8-8&keywords=branch+troll+doll
https://www.amazon.com/Zuru-Trolls-Chain-Grumpy-Branch/dp/B01LM0MSEW/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1499783875&sr=8-24&keywords=branch+troll+doll
Well this one is light blue but the top one is definitely gray! well gray blue anyway! Lol
Nope! They are both light blue.
It's a conspiracy!!
Well then I think we may be screwed on this one my friend! Lol
I might just have to write a letter!!!
Or find someone to do a 3D printer unauthorized version.
That might just have to be the fix for this unfortunate scenario! : (
If you pay the maker in STEEM, is it still against the law? :)
Well, then. Maybe I should write up some more of these.
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I believe your right about Hollywood. I also believe its scripted that way for a purpose.
They don't like to portray views they disagree with in a positive light.
Brilliant post @deanlogic. You're right, for some reason preppers get a bum wrap from Hollywood. I had a few laughs about the way you described the characters of this show. Why is it, it's always the people who don't have a prepping care in the world end up surviving on these show? Now that they have finally offed Otto, that camp is doomed, lmao! Just a matter of time for crazy ass Madison to lead them all into the abyss. But, I'm sure, she will survive.
I might touch on the issue as to why the non-prepper is the most dangerous person in your camp, with another similar article.
I agree! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post!
Doomsday Preppers was a favorite show of mine and the way the people are portrayed is insulting! All about rating versus lifestyle choices.
As for Otto being gone... I shall miss him. He was a great character on the show.
As for Madison.. oh yeah, she'll survive and become a woman not to be reckoned with I'm sure.
If you catch my Politically Correct videos, you'll see one of the Doomsday Prepper folks.
The producers film 3 days of footage and shift through to find what will make for the most off the wall drama for a 30 minute show.
If they didn't make preppers look bad, people would see how much sense it makes and many would act. Not good if you wan the people dependent.
The sad part about it the shows: Live Free or Die, Boondockers, Mountain Men and Doomsday Preppers could have easily done it. They probably have the video showing why it is wise to prepare, but only chose things that would present the people in the craziest most drama filled light.
Might be there is a reason
Agenda 21/2030
Frightening stuff